HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-12-09 Special Called Meeting of the La Porte Development Corporation Board of Directors
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STATE OF TEXAS )(
COUNTY OF HARRIS ) (
CITY OF L A PORTE) (
MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL CALLED MEETING OF THE
LA PORTE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
January 12, 2009
1. Call to order
President Pat Muston called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m.
Members Present: Muston, Moser, Love, Clausen, Matuszak and Engelken
Members/Officers Absent: Beasley
Staff Present: City Manager Ron Bottoms, Assistant City Manager John Joerns, Assistant City Secretary
Sharon Harris, Main Street Coordinator Debra Dye, Finance Director Michael Dolby, Economic Development
Coordinator Debbie Westbeld and Assistant City Attorney Clark Askins.
Others Present: Kathryn Aguilar, Phillip Hoot, Bill O'Brien (Senior Landscape Architect) and C. Daniel
Wardrop (Project Manager) of URS Corporation.
2. Consider approval of the December 1, 2008 minutes of the Special Called Regular Meeting of the La Porte
Development Corporation Board
A motion was made by Board Member Engelken to approve the December 1, 2008 minutes of the La Porte
Development Corporation Board. The motion was seconded by Board Member Love. The motion carried.
Ayes: Muston, Moser, Love, Clausen, Matuszak and Engelken
Nays: None
Abstain: None
Absent: Beasley
3. Receive update of development of Main Street Design Guidelines:
Downtown Revitalization Coordinator Debra Dye presented an update on the Main Street
Design Guidelines
4. Receive updates from city staff on following projects - R. Bottoms
City Manager Ron Bottoms provided an update on the following:
EDA Grant
Town Plaza (presentation by C. Daniel Wardrop and Bill O'Brien of URS Corporation)
Gateway
Port Theater
Parks & Wildlife
"Alamo" Building
Economic Development Strategic Plan
Branding Campaign
Economic Alliance Marketing Campaign
5. Executive Session- pursuant to provision of the Open Meetings Law. Chapter 551 Texas Government Code,
Sections 551-071 through 551.076, 551.087 (consultation with attorney, deliberation regarding real property,
deliberation regarding prospective gift or donation, personnel matters, deliberation regarding security
devices, or excluding a witness during examination of another witness in an investigation, deliberation
regarding Economic Development Negotiations).
A. (Section 551.072
(Deliberation regarding purchase, exchange,
lease or value of Real Property)
Meet with City Manager
and City Attorney to
discuss Port Theatre
on West Main Street
The Board Adjourned to Executive Session at 5:45 p.m.
The Board reconvened to Special Called Regular Meeting at 5:55 p.m.
There was no action taken in the Executive Session.
6. Board Comments
There were no comments from the Board members.
7. There being no further business to discuss, the La Porte Development Corporation Board adjourned the
Special Called Regular Meeting at 5:56 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
-
t-fnard~pJ~ d~/
Sharon Harris,
Assistant City Secretary TRMC
Passed and approved on this .;z day 00 ~<U-l' 2009.
jat Mustt:~
fct-rV'V
3
Back-up not required for this item
4
REQUEST FOR LA PORTE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AGENDA ITEM
Agenda Date: IFebruary 2,2009
Requested By: IDebbie Westbeld
Department: ICity Manager/EDC
Bud2et
Source of Funds:
Account Number:
Report: 17
Resolution: I
Ordinance: I
Amount Budgeted:
Amount Requested: I
Exhibits: I Draft Economic Assessment
Exhibits:
Budgeted Item:
YES I
NO I
Exhibits:
SUMMARY & RECOMMENDATION
La Porte retained Avalanche Consulting to create a 5-year plan for economic development. The strategy will
direct the city's future on topics ranging from business climate and infrastructure to education and quality of life.
Avalanche has recently completed an Economic Development Community Survey. Amy Holloway, President of
Avalanche Consulting, will present survey results and discuss next steps.
Action Required by LPEDC:
No action is required at this time. This report is for information only.
Ron Bottoms, City Manager
{ IJ.'1 tP>
Date
Chapter 1 :
Economic Assessment
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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC PLAN
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CONSUltiNG
.
G~~~~'y
. 601 D lIVest 6th Street
AustinTexas 78703
(512) 472-1555
! nfo@'avaiancheconsulting.net
Table of Contents
Summary of Economic Trends & Key Findings ...........................................................................1
City of La Porte Study Area ......................................................................................................... 3
Popu lation Growth Trends............................. ................................. ........................................... 5
Economic Base & Job Creation ................................................................................................... 7
Labor Force Profile............................................ ........ ............................ ............ ......................... 9
La bor Shed Ana lysis .................... ..................................... ......................................................... 11
I ndustry Cluster Ana lysis .............................................................. ............................................ 14
Unemployment Rate............................... ..... ........ .................................................................... 17
Per Capita Income & Wage Levels ............................................................................................ 18
T ou rism Sector........................... ............................................................................................... 20
Retail Trade Sector......... .............................................. .............................. .............................. 21
Rea I Estate Sector............................. ....... ................ ............ ..................................................... 22
APPEN DIX: Survey Results ............................. ................................................ .......... ..... ........ . 24
City of La Porte, Texas - Economic & Demographic Assessment I January 2009
List of Figures
Figure 1: City of La Porte Study Area - Zip Codes ...................................................................... 3
Figure 2: City of La Porte Peer Communities.............................................................................. 4
Figure 3: La Porte Population Trends & Forecast....................................................................... 5
Figure 4: Peer Community Population Growth Rate (2000 to 2007) ......................................... 5
Figure 5: Median Ages (2005 to 2007 Average) ......................................................................... 6
Figure 6: Where Employed La Porte Residents Work ............................................................. 12
Figure 7: Where Workers Live who are Employed by La Porte Businesses............................. 13
Figure 8: La Porte Unemployment Rate ................................................................................... 17
Figure 9: Regional Unemployment (November 2008) ............................................................. 18
Figure 10: La Porte Average Wage per Job............................................................................... 19
Figure 11: Visitor Destination Spending (2008)........................................................................ 20
Figure 12: Annual La Porte Total Sales Tax Rebates................................................................. 21
Figure 13: La Porte Single-Family Building Permit Activity....................................................... 22
Figure 14: La Porte Average Value per Single-Family Dwelling Unit ($)................................... 23
Figure 15: Average Value per Single-Family Dwelling (2007)................................................... 23
Figure 16: How satisfied are you with the following aspects of La Porte? .............................. 26
Figure 17: What are the city's top three economic development priorities? ........................ 26
List of Tables
Table 1: Regional Population Trends.......................................................................................... 6
Table 2: City of La Porte Study Area Employment Trends.......................................................... 7
Table 3: Estimated Regional Employment Trends (2006) .......................................................... 8
Table 4: La Porte Study Area Resident Industry Sector Employment Profile............................. 9
Table 5: La Porte Study Area Resident Labor Force Profile versus Industry Base (2006) ........ 10
Table 6: Where Employed La Porte Residents Work................................................................ 11
Table 7: Where La Porte-based Business Employees Live........................................................ 12
Table 8: Cluster Industry Microfoundations.............................................................................14
Table 9: La Porte Study Area Industry Concentrations ............................................................ 16
Table 10: Regional Per Capita Income and Average Wage Trends .......................................... 19
Table 11: Annual Economic Impact of La Porte Visitor Spending ............................................ 20
Table 12: Per Capita Retail Sales Subject to Sales Tax.............................................................. 21
City of La Porte, Texas - Economic & Demographic Assessment I January 2009
Summary of Economic Trends & Key Findings
La Porte has grown steadily over the past two decades by weathering statewide economic
downturns in natural resource industries, the high-tech sector collapse, and real estate
bubbles. The city's strong manufacturing base, proximity to the Port of Houston, and short-
commute to Houston's central business district have helped buffer these downturns. The
high percent of residents who work throughout greater Houston and bring wages back to La
Porte also mitigate the effects of local employment forces. The current economic recession,
however, will have negative consequences for La Porte. Reduced international trade and
plummeting oil prices will influence local business decisions.TXPbelieves a number of key
factors will help shape the area's economic landscape andf!iture economic development
strategies:
· Over the next five years, La Porte-basecf employment will struggle to grow as local
firms adjust to the national recession.Ja Porte's industrial base Kheavily dependent
on the sectors hit hard during this econOmic downturn: oil refinerieS~ petrochemical
manufacturers, and the construction business.
· Despite recent fluctuations,~e oilqncf gas sector will remain the dominant force in
the La Porte economy. This sector is responsible for 30 to. 40 percent of total La Porte
businesses output. For a numbefof reasons including existing capital investment,
difficulty in're10cating'pperations,and 10ngzfEm'11 consumer demand, the majority of
these firm~,~iU reboun~pnce the na!io!1al economy starts to grow.
· f.crPgrte's proximity to the Port afHouston and transportation infrastructure will
cause futu!f!!JrowtH'Qt/)e warehbLisiogsector. The successful build out ofthe Port
Crossing CorTlflierce Cent~r qver the next 10 years will be a major driver of the local
economy. This property alon~, equid support 4 million square feet of building space
wf:!enfully developeqr Increased traffic congestion might create issues, but this
sector's growth will help diversify the local economy.
· Limited retail. trade opportunities result in sales tax leakages to surrounding
communities. LeI' porte is severely underserved when it comes to retail opportunities.
City leaders and community stakeholders are working hard to address this issue. La
Porte's limited retail sector also means its general fund will not decline as much as
communities dependent on household spending for tax revenue. This provides the
city time to refine its recruitment strategy while retailers modify business plans to
adjust to the slowing economy.
City of La Porte, Texas - Economic & Demographic Assessment I January 2009
· Economic diversification requires attracting businesses that can take advantage of La
Porte's diverse labor force. La Porte residents comprise only 11.7 percent of total
local employment, and only 13.4 percent of La Porte residents work in the city. Due
to limited land for future residential developments, La Porte will not grow
substantially. Therefore, attracting workers to La Porte or identifying sectors that can
take advantage of the thousands of workers who leave the city each day to work in
surrounding communities should influence economic development recruitment
strategies.
· Quality of place should be the cornerstone of La PQ~e'ong-term economic
development efforts. La Porte has a robust ecgnqmy...vitb local businesses employing
more workers than local residents in the labor force. Limited land available for
development hinders major projects I()oking for a greenfield site. La Porte's most
underutilized resources are its downtown, historic beach, and waterfront. The lack of
a master plan or overarching strategytouoite these elements is anlss'lle. Enhancing
Sylvan Beach, redeveloping downtown, and imProving Main Street serves not only to
encourage economic growth; ,but these initiati,:,es,~irectly improve the quality of life
for city residents.
City of La Porte, Texas - Economic & Demographic Assessment I January 2009
City of La Porte Study Area
La Porte's two industrial zones (Battleground Industrial District and Bayport Industrial
District) are not within its city limits. As a result, datasets specific to the city limits of La Porte
undercount local business activity. Because firms located in the industrial districts paid over
$10.0 million "in lieu of taxes" in 2008 and employ thousands of workers, any analysis of La
Porte should include these areas. To address this issue, TXP defined the La Porte "Study
Area" based on two zip codes: 77571 and 77507 (outlined in red in Figure 1). While not a
perfect fit for La Porte and the industrial zones, the Study Area boundaries provide an
appropriate representation of the city's business profile. Un'lessdenoted as the Study Area,
the information presented is limited to La Porte's city lirTIjfs, (e)(. population estimates)
highlighted in green in Figure 1.
Figure 1: City of La Porte Study Area - Zip Codes'
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City of La Porte, Texas - Economic & Demographic Assessment I January 2009
TXP selected a number of La Porte regional peer communities based on employment and
population size, geographic location, industrial mix, and resident commuting patterns. The
long-term damage caused by Hurricane Ike created challenges in the selection. The City of
Galveston, for example, would have been an appropriate peer community for assessing La
Porte's tourism sector, but the massive storm damage has dramatically altered Galveston's
future. Because La Porte is landlocked and surrounded by large industrial complexes,
suburban communities to the north and west of Houston were not appropriate. The
following peer communities were chosen:
· City of Baytown
· City of Deer Park
· City of League City
· City of Texas City
Figure 2: City of La Porte Peer Communities
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City of La Porte, Texas - Economic & Demographic Assessment I January 2009
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Population Growth Trends
La Porte's population has been slowly increasing over the past decade. The current
population estimate for La Porte is approximately 34,300 residents. Since 2000, the city has
added 2,200 residents, an increase of 6.9 percent. La Porte's modest growth stands in stark
contrast to significant population growth in peer communities and the Houston MSA. The
Texas Water Development Board forecasts the city's population will surpass 42,000 by 2030.
Figure 3: La Porte Population Trends & Forecast
45,000
40,000
35,000
30,000
25,000
20,000
15,000
10,000
5,000
o
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2010 2020 2030
Source: U.S. Census BureaU"Texas Wat'lkDevelopment BOard
Figur~4':Peer €i:K1'!munity Population Gri:nNtb Rate (2000 to 2007)
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50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Baytown
Deer Park
La Porte
League City
Texas City
Harris County
City of La Porte, Texas - Economic & Demographic Assessment I January 2009
Table 1: Regional Population Trends
Year Bay town Deer Park La Porte League City Texas City Houston MSA
2000 66,564 28,546 32,041 45,882 41,700 4,740,423
2001 66,969 28,758 32,845 48,102 42,511 4,855,878
2002 67,686 29,049 33,388 51,158 42,655 4,988,369
2003 68,055 29,033 33,673 54,403 42,690 5,098,375
2004 68,046 28,962 33,666 57,694 43,274 5,208,977
2005 69,313 29,424 33,622 60,917 43,902 5,321,501
2006 70,013 30,366 34,544 64,410 " 44,456 5,507,557
2007 70,135 30,628 34,261 6~~lZ8 ," 44,415 5,628,101
CAGR 0.75% 1.01% 0.96% 5,82% 0.91% 2.48%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
A review of population components uncovereg,!,number of useful factors related to labor
force availability. First, the median age of La Porte (34.7 years of age) ismt.u:h higher than the
Harris County average of 32.6 years of age. Second, over 63.f:lpercent ofthedty's current
population is comprised of working-aged residentsdefined'hetween the ageso(1g and 65.
Last, the percentage of school-ag~(fc6itdren (between1:h~ages of 6 and 17) is lower in La
Porte than peer communities. On avt:;rage,l~~prte is home to a large percentage of
working-age adults or young children. The combination ofthesetrends, is putting upward
pressure on La PortE:) ,.I;J1edian age, but OffE:fS relocatlolt~md expanding businesses a
proximate laborJorce.
Figure 5: Median Aiesj2P05 tq 2007 Average) ,
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Deer Park
La Porte
League City
Texas City
Harris County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey
City of La port~,~~~~s ~~~~~~n1i~&D~n1~~~~~~i~~s~~~~0~~tIJ~~~a~~()~9::CI
Economic Base & Job Creation
La Porte's employment base expanded between 2005 and 2006 (the last year data is
available at the sub-county level), adding 3,200 new jobs or a 10.8 percent increase in total
employment. In 2006, there were approximately 29,300 La Porte-based business employees.
The Manufacturing, Construction, and Transportation & Warehousing sectors playa large
role in the La Porte economy. These three sectors account for more than 60.0 percent of La
Porte's current total employment, compared to 21.6 percent for the Houston MSA and 51.5
percent Deer Park. Over the past two years, La Porte's employment base has likely
contracted because of declining natural resource prices, fallin~,mternational trade, and the
national recession. Continued growth at the Port CrossingG>mmerce Center and
redevelopment activity associated with Sylvan Beach,P"!rt,te~sent the most likely
,. J"
opportunities for growth over the next few years, Q,verthe long-t~m, filling retail trade gaps
and expanding tourism-related activity (ex. Mat!l"$treet redevelopment and Bayport Cruise
Terminal) should help diversify the local econOmy.
Table 2: City of La Porte Study Area Employment TTends_
Description 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Agriculture, Fishing &Hunting ;;;;~ ~... 10 '7 16 5 10
'Oc : ;ffi "~
Mining, &Oil and Gas Extraction ." 546' 543 "'" 496 869 908
,
Utilities , ',. ",,136 " H',,""J,.05 '173 175 203
Construction 'H " 3,~~p ,m ::~!872' ,,:: " 4,511 6,210 7,555
,.
Manufacturing :, '" 8,ob4' '6,568 ,6,990 7,322 7,703
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Wholesale Trade '" 0:, 1,537,/"', 1,588 1,427 1,816 2,108
Retail Trade 'L :, '" " L" 1,078 922 919 880 829
TranspOf!atJO'n&yvarehouslhg" ',,", ,,' 2,242 - ::2,,299 2,257 2,277 2,366
,.
Information " :, " 33.,"",,,,, 40 31 32 26
,: " "
Rn':3nce & Insurance "'H"" 213 197 209 199 263
Real E~rc,Je, Rental & Leasing" 284 258 240 240 307
Professional & Scientific Services 966 1,182 1,172 1,224 1,445
Management otCompanies '\ 153 279 169 13 19
Administration & Support ,,: 706 672 751 1,018 1,316
Educational Services " "on 1,382 1,447 1,498 1,237 1,622
.. ::
Health Care & Social AsSistance 443 339 401 414 434
Arts, Entertainment, & Recreation 157 164 163 168 152
Accommodation & Food Services 797 784 920 1,006 968
Other Services 533 680 776 749 805
Public Administration 344 348 322 336 335
Total 23,490 22,294 23,441 26,190 29,374
Source: TXP, u.s. Census Bureau - LEHD Program
City of La Porte, Texas - Economic & Demographic Assessment I January 2009_
Due to data limitations, specific city-level employment values are not available. Based on
industrial districts, zip codes, ETJs, and city limits, TXP created estimates of employment by
major sector. The purpose of this dataset is to highlight which sectors are strong in each city,
not actual employment figures.
Table 3: Estimated Regional Employment Trends (2006)
La Porte League Texas
Description Bay town Deer Park Study Area City City
Agriculture, Fishing &Hunting 19 18 ii" 10 1 2
Mining, &Oil and Gas Extraction 3,354 877 '" 908 40 22
,
Utilities 272 147 203 58 188
Construction 2,172 5,2Q4 '7,555 1,206 817
Manufacturing 6,608 '" 4,184 7,]03 178 3,777
Wholesale Trade 911 950 2,108' 434 305
Retail Trade ' ,'" 993 829 1,244 2,102
4,487 '"
Transportation & Warehousing 817 '" 404 2,366 " 251 229
c ,
Information , 356 41 26 225 136
Finance & Insurance 669 305 ", 263 503 428
Real Estate, Rental & Leasing , 894, 229 307 196 308
''''H,
Professional & Scientific Services ' 1,859 " H 927 " 1,445 977 349
Management of Companies 271 7 "19 8 5
Administration & SIJppol1: "" ' 1,658 770 "', 1,316 602 709
,
Educational Services ,,' 4,497 " 2,244 1,622 6,377 1,483
.'
Health Care & Social Assistance 'c 3,629 459 434 1,215 2,595
"
Arts,,,E~,tef"ta4,~R'tent, & Reci'ga~cih, "',, :: .,/i'"" ~21 9 152 372 157
AocCmlmodation& food Services 2,691"", 579 968 1,459 1,484
OttI,er Services 1,140 " 489 805 570 344
liT C
Public Administration " 705 176 335 307 503
Total i', ',' 37,330 19,012 29,374 16,223 15,943
Source: TXP, U.S'C;ensus Bureau - LEf-lD Program
City of La Porte, Texas - Economic & Demographic Assessment I J~~~~~;?09f1
Labor Force Profile
Consistent with a slow growing population, La Porte/s employed labor force (residents who
have a job regardless of location) has held steady over the past 5 to 10 years. In 2006/
roughly 19/000 La Porte residents were employed. The manufacturing and construction
sectors capture the largest percentage of working La Porte residents. Even though the city is
not strong in retail trade, healthcare, or education occupations, nearly 1 in 4 La Porte
residents work in these sectors. The disconnect between La Porte resident occupations and
local jobs available indicates a large number of residents commute to surrounding cities for
work each day.
Table 4: La Porte Study Area Resident Industry SectQr ,1;hg)IqYQ1ent Profile
Description 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Agriculture, Fishing &Hunting 27 '" "" 32 3), 38 32
Mining, &Oil and Gas Extraction 652 ,+ 573 536 " 546 559
.,., "
Utilities 208"',,, 196 208 165 144
Construction 2/282 2/027 ,,,' "" "1/785 1/945 2/156
Manufacturing 2/776 2:47& ,,' 2/588 2/391 '''' 2/572
,
Wholesale Trade " 943 920'", 931 1/072 1/049
Retail Trade ,1/m"'"", 1/674 1/703 1/752 1/814
Transportation & Warehousing 974 '967 """,971 955 986
ii' ",'
Information ii,' ", ". 226 '2fJ'7, 2n 198 176
"
Finance & Insuri!pte " 4S~ ," 395 ," ",,,%,,,,, 485 486 516
ii' ii' ,',
Real Estate, Rental & Le~sing ." 327, ,,', 335 333 343 392
Professional & ScientificServices' 1/187 % 1/220 1/239 1/243 1/394
Managemenfof Companies, ",. 100 ','if 135 121 76 86
, ,
Adm;,nistration &Sypport , 1/004" 898 984 1/108 1/231
'"
Educational Services '" ", 1/812 " 1/886 1/928 1/716 1/833
." ,,'.'
Health Care & Social Assistance , 1,312 1,369 1,388 1/387 1/356
Arts, Entertainment, & Recreation 201 180 222 211 173
Accommodation & Food Services 1,290 1,236 1,399 1/386 1/443
Other Services ,. 586 573 642 603 598
Public Administration ", "" " 438 438 445 414 478
Total " 18/578 17,739 .18,177 18,035 18,988
Source: TXP, U.S. Census Bureau - LEHD Program
City of La Porte, Texas - Economic & Demographic Assessment I January 2009
Table 5: La Porte Study Area Resident Labor Force Profile versus Industry Base (2006)
La Porte
Resident La Porte
Description Employment Businesses
Agriculture, Fishing &Hunting 0.2% 0.0%
Mining, &Oil and Gas Extraction 2.9% 3.1%
Utilities 0.8% 0.7%
Construction 11.4% 25.7%
Manufacturing 13.5% 26.2%
Wholesale Trade 5.5% " , 7.2%
Retail Trade 9.6%" "'" "" 2.8%
Transportation & Warehousing 5.2~ , 8.1%
Information 0.9% .. ':::, 0.1%
Finance & Insurance "2.7% 0.9%
Real Estate, Rental & Leasing ''', .,,,. 2.1% 1.0%'
Professional & Scientific Services 7.3% 4.9%
Management of Companies 0.5% c>", 0.1%
Administration & Support '" 6.5% 4.5%
'''' '> ,
Educational Services "'., , ... 9.7% 5.5%
Health Care & Social Assistance 7.1% "" 1.5%
" ..", " """
Arts, Entertainment, & Recreation ", ""0.9% 0.5%
"', .
Accommodation & f200 Servi?!s " '7;6% 3.3%
" ,,",
Other Services ,'''' 3.1% ., '. 2.7%
." ..
Public Administratioh', "', ",," 2.5% 1.1%
,
Total , c, ',' " " :1.00.0% 100.0%
Sours~.IXP" U:?';<:;en~us Bureau~ UliD Program"
City of La Porte, Texas - Economic & Demographic Assessment I January 2009
labor Shed Analysis
Using publicly available data it is possible to perform a labor shed analysis. The purpose of
this analysis is to highlight: 1) where La Porte residents work and 2) where La Porte-based
business employees live. The results are useful in identifying future economic development
targets, determining workforce gaps, and guiding future public sector investment.
In 2006, approximately 19,000 city residents were employed. At the same time, La Porte-
based businesses employed 29,000 workers. Hypothetically, if all La Porte-based jobs were
first filled by local residents, then approximately 10,000 worke;swould need to commute to
the city each day. However, data from the Census Bureau.7 tl;HD Program paint a different
picture.
In 2006, only 13.4 percent of La Porte residents'Vorked in the city. OVer one-third of La Porte
working residents commuted to Houston each day. Other large emploYluEmt centers were
Pasadena, Deer Park, and Baytown. The opposite trend exists for La Porte-bas~.d businesses.
In 2006, La Porte residents comprised 11.7 percentpfJotalJo~' employment:'oyer 40.0
m,_ om_ _
percent of La Porte-based business,erpp!oyees lived rn'B~!;'ston, Pasadena, Baytown, Deer
Park, and League City.
These findings create positive and negative implid~ti6ns.tor La PO(te7. Because La Porte
residents work thfQughout t"~region in a broad r~rtge of jl1gu~~ries, this can help offset the
negative effects of.a,slowdowninthe city's e~,~!N sector. Thedownside is that La Porte-
based businesses pay high wages to non-local residents. However, the fact that workers will
commute to La Porte for w9rk is,.a g09djndicatoi'that future tourism and quality of place
.. ---.
projects (Sylvan Beach and Downtown) would attract visitors from neighboring communities.
Table.6:Where EmployedJa Porte Residents Work
Description 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Houston '39~2% 38.8% 38.1% 38.3% 37.2%
La Porte ". 14.0% 13.5% 13.1% 13.4% 13.4%
Pasadena ..' 9.8% 10.2% 9.4% 9.1% 9.4%
Deer Park 7.1% 7.1% 6.8% 6.6% 6.7%
Bay town 3.1% 2.7% 3.4% 3.1% 3.0%
Webster 1.4% 1.6% 1.6% 1.8% 1.5%
League City 1.0% 0.9% 1.1% 1.3% 1.3%
Austin 0.7% 0.7% 0.8% 0.8% 0.9%
Seabrook 0.5% 0.8% 0.8% 0.9% 0.8%
Pearland 0.6% 0.8% 0.9% 0.7% 0.8%
All Other Locations 22.5% 22.8% 24.1% 24.0% 25.0%
Source: TXP, U.S. Census Bureau. LEHD Program
City of La Porte, Texas - Economic & Demographic Assessment I January 2009_
Figure 6: Where Employed La Porte Residents Work
Table 7: Where La POde-based Business Employees Live
Description 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Houst~ '''' " "':;1,8,1% 1~,.~ ;, ,17.5% 17.2% 18.1%
"
t,.a'Rorte '" ,', 14,,7% 14.4% 13.6% 12.8% 11.7%
T. , "
Pasadena " ",,10.6% 10.3% 10.2% 10.0% 10.2%
Bay town 6.4% ,~.9% 6.2% 6.0% 6.3%
Deer Park'" .' ,. 6.4% 6.0% 5.8% 5.7% 5.6%
League City " 2.8% 2.9% 3.1% 2.8% 2.4%
Pearland 1:4.% 1.4% 1.6% 1.7% 1.6%
Texas City /"/',,,,,0.9% 1.4% 1.2% 1.5% 1.5%
Channelview 1.3% 1.4% 1.3% 1.2% 1.3%
Friendswood 1.3% 1.3% 1.2% 1.0% 1.2%
All Other Locations 36.1% 37.0% 38.1% 40.1% 40.0%
Source: TXP, U.S. Census Bureau - LEHD Program
City of La Porte, Texas - Economic & Demographic Assessment I January 2009
Figure 7: Where Workers live who are Employed by La Porte Businesses
o
45
. Ci~~fL~~~~~,T~~~~~E~~~~~i~&.~~~~~~~~~i~A~~ess~~~t..1..~~n~~rY2~09C1
Industry Cluster Analysis
Industry cluster analysis is a common approach used in economic development to evaluate
the economic base of a region, usually at the county or multi-county level. Clusters are highly
integrated groups of businesses with strong vertical and horizontal linkages. Not only does
industry cluster analysis describe the current state, but this technique is often used to
identify areas of recruitment opportunity. Industry cluster analysis, however, is a broad
concept rather than a precise term. There is not a unified definition of industry clusters or
their subcomponents.
In general, a cluster consists offirms and related economi<<:a.etors and institutions that draw
productive advantage from their mutual proximity andcgnne(:tions. First, linkages are
established in which businesses build relationship~ with existing specialized supplier firms
throughout a region. Second, these developingcJusters attract additional supplier firms and
supporting business from outside ofthe area. Finally, by creating a criticahnass of
production, labor, and information, related manufacturers and supplier firms are attracted to
these developing cluster regions to take advantageofJhe exi~~ing human and physical
infrastructure.
A comprehensive analysis of industry Cluster fedmiques released by The Brookings Institute
(Making Sense of Clqstgts: Regional CoinpetitivenesSand Econoft:!iC [)evelopment, 2006)
highlights sevenF~y,ster dri~ers called "micftlfoun~ations"ofclustering:
Table 8: Cluster IndustrY MicrofQundations
LabOr MarT<efPOOIing
Supplier SpecializatioTl
Microfoundations Description
Knowledge Seillovers
Entrepreneurship
Path Dependence and Lock-In
Culture
Local Demand
StrongJrta,rket/supply for the distinctive skilled labor needed
Large number of industrial customers in the nearby area
create sufficient demand to enable suppliers to acquire and
operate expensive specialized machinery
Concentration of many people working on a similar set of
economic problems produces a widely shared understanding
of an industry and its workings
Entrepreneurship includes both the willingness of individuals
to form new businesses and the willingness of owners of
existing businesses to undertake new ideas
Set of opportunities available to any particular place will be
shaped by the economic activities it has already established
Culture may be particularly important in helping local
economies and clusters adapt to change over time
Demanding local consumers can pressure firms to innovate
and to maintain and improve product quality, which in turn
improves their competitiveness in other markets
City of La Porte, Texas - Economic&D~~~~ra~~i~~~~~~~~e~tl.J~~~~; ;009-_
The Brookings study concludes, "It is difficult for public policy to create new clusters
deliberately. Instead, policymakers and practitioners should promote and maintain the
economic conditions that enable new clusters to emerge. Such an environment, for example,
might support knowledge creation, entrepreneurship, new firm formation, and the
availability of capital."
The report highlights the role the public sector can play in cluster development by
microfoundation:
. Labor Market Pooling: labor market information, specialized training
. Supplier Specialization: brokering, recruitin~ en.treprelleurship, credit
· Knowledge-spillovers: networking, public s,,:!ctor research.a,nd development support
. Entrepreneurship: assistance for startups, spin-offs
· Lock-In: work to extend, refine, and r~,Fombine existing distinctive specializations
. Culture: acknowledge and support cluster organization
· Local Demand: aggregate and strengthen local demand.
Application of Industry Cluster Analysis to La Porte
To assess the strength of a cluster in a regional ecQngmy, the location factors are calculated
by comparing the c1usler'sshare of totallo<;al empl9ym~nt to the cluster's national share.
This quotient will,Yle~a a value generally between 0.00 and 1:00, where 1.00 demonstrates an
equal share perCeT!~Clge betweeg the local and national economies. Cluster location factors
greater than 2.00 indic<!t~ a st~9'lg cluster agglo'l1eration, while those less than 0.50 indicate
extremely wea.~ <;Justers:
Thepiggest challenge for performing a cluster analysis on La Porte is data availability.
Clusters are typically defined using 6-~igit NAICS (a business classification system). Given the
employment ,base size of La Porte and linkages to neighboring cities, detailed data is not
readily availablel?ecause government agencies "suppress" data to protect the confidentiality
of the businesses. For example, detailed employment and payroll data for the petrochemical
sector is not released for ta'Porte because it might reveal specific information about local
firms. Therefore, TXP performed a cluster analysis using location quotients at the major
NAICS level.
Ci;~f~~m~;~~,T~~~~~E~~~~rT1i~&D~rT1~;~~~hi~ ~~~~~~rT1~~tl.J~~u~~;()()9C1
Table 9: La Porte Study Area Industry Concentrations
Deer League Texas
Description Bay town Park La Porte City City
Agriculture, Fishing &Hunting 0.32 0.60 0.22 0.04 0.08
Mining, &Oil and Gas Extraction 2.70 1.39 0.93 0.07 0.04
Utilities 0.98 1.04 0.93 0.48 1.58
Construction 0.75 3.55 3.33 0.96 0.66
Manufacturing 1.87 2.33 2.77 0.12 2.51
Wholesale Trade 0.42 0.86 1.23 0.46 0.33
Retail Trade 1.11 0.48 -- 0.26 0.71 1.22
Transportation & Warehousing 0.49 0.48 1.80 0.35 0.32
Information 0.59 0.13 , 0..05 0.86 0.53
Finance & Insurance 0.47 '''.d 0.42 0;24 0.81 0.70
Real Estate, Rental & Leasing 1.12 0.56 0.49 0.57 0.90
Professional & Scientific Services 0.69 0.68 0.68 ,'Q.84 0.30
Management of Companies 1.20 . ...0.06 . 0.11 0.08 0.05
Administration & Support 0.61 p56, 0.62 051 0.61
Educational Services 1.13 1:11 d 0.52 3.68 0.87
+ ,.'
Health Care & Social Assistance ; '0.97 0.24 0.15 0.74 1.62
.
Arts, Entertainment, & Recreation , .0.76 ...0.04 .0.46 2.02 0.87
Accommodation & FoodServkes '. 0.92 0.39. 0.42 1.14 1.18
Other Services . +,/" 'F '., ." 1.09 0.91 h 0.97 1.25 0.77
..., "
Public Administration 0.81,..... 0.40 0.49 0.81 1.35
Total .. 0.32 0.60 0.22 0.04 0.08
Source: lXP,U,S. Census Bureau.,,, L~HqProgrilrn
· La Porte hassizeable COh~entrations of Manufacturing, Construction, and
Transportation & Warehousing clusters relative to the Houston MSA. In 2006, La
Porte was home to over 225 establishments for these three sectors combined.
· La Porte has a below average retail trade cluster for a community of its size. A 2006
retail trade study performed by Buxton determined that La Porte does have the
potential to attract new retailers and restaurants.
· Key industry clusters less developed in La Porte than the Houston MSA as a whole
are Health Care & Social Assistance, Educational Services, Accommodation & Food
Services, and Arts, Entertainment, & Recreation. The proximity to the Greater
Houston area with already strong clusters (ex. Kemah) as well as geographic location
on the far eastern edge of the region might limit growth in some of these sectors.
City of La port~, .~~~~~ - '~~~~O~i~' &~e0~~r~~~,cAss~s~~~ntIJ~~~a~2?O~_
Unemployment Rate
Consistent with a stable population base and large number of residents working outside of
the city, La Porte's unemployment rate has fluctuated based on regional economic trends. In
2000, the unemployment rate in La Porte registered 3.2 percent. By 2005, the
unemployment rate had risen to 4.4 percent. The resurgence of the oil and gas sector
created an economic surge for the area. As a result, the unemployment rate dropped to 3.6
percent in 2007. The current national economic recession and falling energy prices, however
have reversed some of these job gains. The current unemployment rate in La Porte is 6.0
percent, above the Harris County average for the first time this"decade.
Figure 8: La Porte Unemployment Rate
I 8.0%
-LaPorte -HarrisCounty
7.0%
6.0%
5.0%
4.0%
3.0%
2.0%
1.0%
0.0%
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007 2008 (Nov)
Source: Texas Workforce Commission
Compared to its peer communities, La Porte's rising unemployment rate is consistent with
regional trends. In November 2008, Texas City's unemployment rate climbed to 9.3 percent,
or 50.0 percent greater than the La Porte value. Deer Park and League City have the lowest
unemployment rates atS:lpercent 5.3 percent respectively.
City of La Porte, Texas - Economic & Demographic Assessment I January 2009_
Figure 9: Regional Unemployment (November 2008)
10%
1%
9%
8%
7%
6%
5%
4%
3%
2%
0%
Baytown
Deer Park
La Porte
League City
Texas City
H a rri s County
Source: Texas Workforce Commission
Per Capita Income & Wage Levels
While La Porte's population has been slq'!N1y increaSing, when cOl'1'1pared to the state as a
whole, its resident~'1?ercap4ta income ha~" kept ue'lt1Porte:~ per capita personal income is
3.7 percent abovetlie Texas average, but 4.7 pei'ceiit belowthe Harris County Average. The
2005-2007 averagepercapita inq>me for La Porte is $24,176 versus the Harris County
average of $25,364. (Note, Ameriqm Com. munity S. ..urvey estimates are used to produce the
.",. ,--,., .,'. ,.... ..... ,. ..
per capitailitoine statistfcs~ndare base<!, o~ data~ollected over a 3-year time period. The
estiwates representth~ average characteristiCs of population between January 2005 and
December 2007 and do not represent a single point in time.)
Wages paidtola Porte-based workers, however, are well above state and regional levels. In
2006, the average salary was $57,195 versus the Harris County average of $51,932. La Porte
is also outperformin~all ofi!s peer communities.
It is not possible to produce wage estimates for La Porte residents who work outside of the
city. Based on an analysis of La Porte resident occupations (Table 4) and average wage and
per capita income trends (Table 11), however, it is likely that residents earn less than the La
Porte-based average wage. La Porte registers the greatest disparity between per capita
income (based on place of residence) and average wage per job (based on the location of the
firm). This indicates millions of wages are leaking to surrounding cities.
City of La Porte, Texas - Economic & Demographic Assessment I January 2009
Figure 10: La Porte Average Wage per Job
I $70,000
I $10,000
I
I
I
I
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Economic Planning and Coordinatib!?Qjvi~df),'
$60,000
$50,000
$40,000
$30,000
$20,000
$0
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
Table 10: Regional Per Capita Income and Average Wagetrepds
Per Capita Income Average Wage per Job
2005 to 2007
2000 Average 2000 2006
Austin County $18,140 '$2~2~i' '''$29,532 $36,678
Brazoria County , $20,021 $25:946 $33,561 $39,859
Chambers County '" $19,863 '" $24,784 " $35,037 $42,439
,', " "
Fort Bend 'CountY $44,985 ",' $29,005 $34,833 $43,701
" " '"
Galveston County L, " $21,5(;8 $26,204 $29,333 $38,170
",
Harris County , $25,364 $41,339 $51,932
$21,435 h
libertY County $15,539 $17,720 $24,435 $30,355
Montgomery County $24,544 $29,279 $31,563 $39,429
San Jacinto County $16,144 $17,900 $21,187 $24,887
Waller County $16,338 $20,490 $24,708 $33,126
Bay town $17,641 $20,165 $35,734 $41,169
Deer Park $24,440 $27,313 $49,964 $56,881
La Porte $21,178 $24,176 $46,135 $57,195
League City $27,170 $32,668 $24,263 $30,304
Texas City $17,057 $19,070 $37,450 $42,504
Source: TXP, U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
City of La Porte, Texas - Economic & Demographic Assessment I JanUarY2~??9_
Tourism Sector
Tourism-related activity is not a significant component of the La Porte economy, but the city
does have a long history of attracting visitors to Sylvan Beach. In recent years, Sylvan Beach
remained a popular destination for family outings and the Pavilion hosted local events before
its closing after Hurricane Ike. Currently, efforts are underway to increase tourism activity in
the area. Harris County, for example, has completed a Sylvan Beach Park Master Plan and has
allocated funds for beach reclamation. A 2007 hotel feaSibility study by PKF consulting found
that the Sylvan Beach area could support a 2S0-room full service hotel, though no hotel has
yet expressed interest in the property. La Porte is also explorin~strategies to link Main
Street, the 5 Points Development, and Sylvan Beach. Out-qf-town visitors still spend millions
of dollars at local hotels and shops each year. In 2006,J~:~'$45.1million in direct spending by
La Porte visitors supported 400 local jobs and generated $1.1 miuion, in tax revenue.
Table 11: Annual Economic Impact of La POl'teVisitor Spending
Destination State Tax Local Tax
Spending Earnings Receipts Receipts
Year (millions) (millions) Employment (millions) (millions)
2002 $34.8 400
2003 $35.5 400
2004 $36.0 380
2005 $42.2 420
2006 $45.1 410
$2.4
$2.4
$2.4
$2.7
$2.8
Source: Office of the Governor, Econo~ieDevelopmentaf!d Tourism
Figure,11; Visitor; Destination Spending (2008)
I $120 I
I $100
i
,
I $~
I] $60
i=
12
I
I $40
i
$20
N/A
$0
Baytown
Deer Park
La Porte
League City
Texas City
Source: Office ofthe Governor, Economic Development and Tourism
City of La Porte, Texas - ECOnO~I~&~~~~~;~~~i~As~e~~0~ntIJ~n~~~2??9f1
Retail Trade Sector
A review of area retail sales by trade sector reveals that La Porte is not capturing its full share
of resident spending. This finding is consistent with stakeholder input that many residents
drive to surrounding communities to shop - in economic terms the region is "leaking" retail
sales dollars. For example, La Porte taxable retail sales per capita are well below peer
communities. In 2007, La Porte registered $1,850 taxable retail sales per capita compared to
$5,938 for Harris County. This has important implications for La Porte's overall tax base
because the city generates close to half of its revenue from property taxes or industrial
payments. A review of La Porte's total sales tax collections over the past 20 years reveals that
big upticks in collections are closely related an increase irrtbesales tax rate (ex. economic
development sales tax or construction spending by busin~ss~s)1,but not new retail activity.
Table 12: Per Capita Retail Sales Subject to Sales Tax
Year Bay town Deer Park La Porte League City Texas City Harris County
2002 $5,619 $1,607 $1.487" $2,38f $4.,988 $4,941
2003 $5,381 $1,655 $1,494 ,n $2,288 $4,473 '" '" $4,825
2004 $5,466 $1.752 $2,356 "" $2,644 $4,321 $4,949
2005 $5,844 $2,751,'" ,,"",/$2,492 $3,PO $4,371 $5,281
2006 $6,528 $4,122"" $1;$9~ $2,432 $4,366 $5,629
2007 $7,02:4- $4,220 " $1,844 '" ,,' $3,176 ,ii',.. $4,561 $5,938
Source: TXP, Texas Corvptr,fJller{)f Public Accounts
Figure 12: Annual La Porte Totiill Sales Tax Rel:Jates
I $6,000,000
I
$5,000,000
$4,000,000 I
I $3,000,000 I
$2,000,000
$1,000,000
$0 ,
a ..... N en '<t LI) \.D ,..... 00 en a ..... N en '<t LI) \.D ,..... 00
en en en en en en en en en en a a a a a a a a a
en en en en en en en en en en a a a a a a a a a
..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... N N N N N N N N N
Source: TXP, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
City of La Porte, Texas - Economic & Demographic Assessment I January 20~~1t
Real Estate Sector
Single-family building permit activity has been healthy in La Porte over the past decade. Data
provided by the Texas A&M Real Estate Center and u.S. Census Bureau, however, indicates
that La Porte single-family buildings permits lag the rapid growth in some peer communities.
This is not a surprise given the limited amount of land available for development. Future
development will likely take place near the Bay Forest golf course or as large lots in the
western portion of the city are subdivided. Over the past few years, approximately 100
single-family building permits were issued.
Figure 13: La Porte Single-Family Building Permit Activity
350
50
300
250
200
150
100
o
<D
0'\
0'\
......
"
0'\
0'\
......
00
0'\
0'\
......
0'\
0'\
0'\
......
o
o
o
N
......
o
o
N
N
o
o
N
rt1
o
o
N
'<l"
o
o
N
'"
o
o
N
<D
o
o
N
"
o
o
N
Soul"Ce: U:S. Census Bureau
The average value of a ne\lll single~fcttnily home in 2007 was $136,321. Using an industry
standard of 28 percent of gross income, the maximum percentage of monthly gross income
that a lender allows for housing expenses plus recurring debt, a new home buyer would need
to earn $40,000 p~r year to qualify for a traditional loan. Compared to peer communities, La
Porte offers one ofthelo~~stprices for a new single-family home. The most expensive peer
community was DeerParkat $181,123 per new home. It is worth noting even with La Porte's
relatively low housing costs, the majority of La Porte business workers do not live in the city.
City of La Porte, Texas - Economic & Demographic Assessment I January 2009_
Figure 14: La Porte Average Value per Single-Family Dwelling Unit ($)
$160,000
$140,000
$120,000
$100,000
$80,000
$60,000
$40,000
$20,000
$0 I
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Figure 15: Average Value per Single-Family'Dwelling (2007)
I $200,000
I $180,000
! $160,000
i
I $140,000
I $120,000
I
I $100,000
$80,000
$60,000
$40,000
$20,000
$0
Baytown
Deer Park
La Porte
League City
Texas City
Harris County
I
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
City of La Porte, Texas - Economic & Demographic Assessment I JanUa~;009m
Appendix: Survey Results
Avalanche Consulting is pleased to present the results ofthe Forward La Porte Economic
Development Survey. The survey was conducted between December 2008 and January 2009
to gain insight into local residents and businesses' opinions about economic development. A
total of 301 surveys were completed.
Across the board, survey responses reflected a consistent thinking among La Porte residents.
City beautification, Main Street revitalization, and Sylvan Beach revitalization topped
residents' economic development priorities. La Porte's top stfE:!ngths are perceived as being
(1) public safety, (2) cost of living, (3) access to higher edu~at!cm; and (4) quality of K-12
education. The city's perceived weaknesses included retaifShopping, downtown, arts and
culture, and the city's appearance. Many residents eriooIJragedthe City to concentrate on
balancing growth through community development versus industriC)1 recruitment, reviving La
Porte's historic core, and offering families enhal1cedentertainment and recreational
opportunities.
Methodology
Avalanche Consulting kicked off the project by developil),g'flA online survey and then
presented the draft questions tathe f()(Ward La Porte Steering Committee for review. After
receiving their feedback, Avalancheftlla'lzedthe survey and launched it on December 8,
2008. (A copy of the survey is provided at the elld of this Appendix.)
To encourage residents,foparticipate in t~e surveYle.YaJa~e initiated a multi-faceted
promotional campaign:
· Avalanche developed the online survey utilizing QuestionPro software. An online
format was chos~n to save time and cost.
"' ..... .. ~
· Avalanchedeveloped'asurvey webpC)ge whkh contained a link to the survey.
· The website;$ .lJRL was provided toSteering Committee members and other civic
leaders, and theyin turn sha~~d it with their contacts.
· The Bayshore Sun an~ HoustoflChronicle wrote articles about the survey's launch.
· Avalanche and the Bayshore Sun 'created an advertisement to remind residents to
takethe,.survey. The ads were published in the January 18 and January 21 editions.
· The survey was viewe~by 497 people. Avalanche received 301 complete survey
questionnaire~, On average, it took participants 10 minutes to finish the survey.
The survey was complefed on January 23, 2009.
Survey Demographics
Of the 301 residents who completed the survey, 60 percent had lived in La Porte for 11 years
or longer.
76 percent of all respondents were currently employed, with exactly one-half employed by a
company located in La Porte and the other one-half working outside of the city. A large
majority of survey participants (65.8 percent) were 45 years old or older.
City of La Porte, Texas - Economic & Demographic Assessment I January 2009_
The demographic mix of survey respondents closely matched the city's population
demographics.
Age Range % of Survey Participants
18-24 years 2.8%
25-34 years 10.4%
35-44 years 21.0%
45-54 years 31.6%
55-64 years 20.2%
65+ years 14.0%
Economic Development Questions
To kick off the economic development portion of thes,:!,!",ey, Ayal~nche wanted to
understand local residents' definition of "what counts as success~.: ip economic
development. 84% of them said that they agree with the following definition:
"Enhanced prosperity and quality of life for La Porte's residents and busif)es~es."
Next, we asked respondents to rat~,.their satisfactiorileveforla variety of economic
development topics, from educatiOotQ quality of life tq,c1ty 'government. Participants scored
each topic on a scale of 1 (not satisfiedrto4 (very satisfil~d):HJo highlight a few of the
findings:
A majority of respondents were either "satisfied" or~'verysatisfied::with the following
topics:
· Public safety {75.9%)
· Cost of living (75.8%)
· H~bereducatioo~'ppo1u~iti~.in the area (62.8%)
· 'Public e9ucation (54~!)%)
IOcOQtrast, a majority'bfresponden!s indicated that they were "not satisfied" with the
follOWIng:
· Ret~.,il shopping andle.staurants (67.1%)
· Downtown development (63.4%)
· City's appearance (69:7%)
· Entertainment and. recreation (60.0%)
· Arts and culture,{S6:3%)
· External perception of La Porte (54.1%)
· Transportation access (44.1%)
On the remaining topics, most respondents felt neutral on the availability of volunteer
opportunities and local cooperation / shared vision.
City of La Porte, Texas - Economic & Demographic Assessment I January 2009 _
Figure 16: How satisfied are you with the following aspects of La Porte?
1..00
2.00
3.00
4.00
Public safe1;y
Cost of living
Higher education
--,
K-12 education
Volunteer opportunities _
City government .J
Local cooperation
Transportation access
External perception
Enterta inm ent,lrecreati 0 n
Appearance
Arts I culture
Downtown
Retail shopping
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
Very Satisfied
l
Not Satisfied
The above figure illustrates the average~~ore for each8ption. Options receiving a score of
2.5 or greater are satisfactory for a "1ajority pf ,~a Porte n:!sideo~s, while scores lower than
2.5 are areas in which residents see need for improvement.
Respondents were al,so asked to rate whafthey l?etieve 1:o6e~a Porte's top economic
development priorities. Quality of place topi~S\:lth as beautification, downtown
revitalization, and SyNan Beach strongly rosetdthe top. Interestingly, traditional economic
development roles, sU'chas business recruitment, local business expansion, and external
marketil1grated much lowE!r:..
Figure 17: What are ttt~city's top three economic development priorities?
0.0%
5.0%
10.0%
15.0%
20.0%
BeautifYing La Portes Appearance
Revitalizing Downtown
18.7%
17.9%
Revitalizing Sylvan Beach
Recruiting New Businesses
Assisting Entrepreneurs
17.3%
14.7%
7.1%
6.3%
5.7%
Other
Building External Awareness
Improve Local Cooperation
5.1%
Business Expansion
3.8%
3.6%
Increase Housing Stock
City of La Porte, Texas - Economic & Demographic Assessment I January 2009
The survey contained several open ended questions that allowed participants to comment
on their view of the city's greatest strengths and challenges. They were also asked to provide
a single word or phrase that they would like to be used to describe la Porte 20 years from
now.
A list of select comments is provided at the end of this document. We also sorted comments
according to subject matter, and have listed the results below. (Note, not every participant
commented.)
What is La Porte's single greatest strength?
TODic
Waterfront location / Sylvan Beach
Small town charm
location relative to Greater Houston
People ("warm," "friendly")
Petrochemical and port industries
Public safety
City leadership
History
la Porte K-12 schools
Number of Responses
95,.
58
42
41
25
10
7
6
5'
What is La Porte's single greatest wt\!akness?
TODic
Balancing growth / preservmg city's character
Appearance of th~ c~ ,..
Appeara"~eof Main Stret;t~specifically
New business attra<;tio{l, retail an,Q entertainiT}egt
Petrochemical and port lndustrjes
Pg~pqfl r,elated ta.indilstiy, speCifically
Trdffic riHqre,q to indusi;.y,speci/icdll'1 '
External perceptio'ntreputation
locarpolitics / status quoth inking
Flooding/,hurricanes
City of La Porte, Texas - Economic & Demographic Assessment I January 2009 _
What is La Porte's single greatest strength? (sample answers)
"Good down home feeling"
"Small town attitude and ambiance"
"Waterfront location and diversity of homes"
"The plants and refineries"
"Sylvan Beach"
"Proximity to Galveston Bay and historical role in the Battle of San Jacinto"
"Potential for growth, not necessarily in size but in quality"
"Space for development that will bring in tourism and business~~
"Sylvan Beach Pavilion, it's reputation from years of history"
"Proximity to Houston, massive employment base, vital transportation systems"
"3.3 miles of Galveston Bay front"
"The thing that I have heard from Hurricane support workers is tha.t we have great diners!"
"Friendliness"
"Security and tranquility"
"Petrochemical business"
"Its people!"
"Small town qualities while being next to a large tit"!...
"Located on a corner of a major highway with plentyqf1i,JnQ for development"
"Port of Houston, LPISD, and the CitY arefine examplefofthe strength of La Porte"
"Camaraderie of the community"
"Friendly people including store and rest.;lurant'owoers"
"Our town has a fine. group of citizens, many of wnomJ am proud fb..{;aII friends"
"Affordability of,h~meowners,~ip"
"Jobs, industry and,recreation of Galveston Bay'"
"Parental involvement in school activities"
"Small city with industry tax base"
"H istorical sigrijfjcance of the city and t.hearea"
"Waterfronf parkS and homes, older neighborhoods with history"
"Ship channel" ....
"The. history of the downtown area/old buildings, the bay - if cleaned up"
"Low crime"
"Caring cornrnunity"
City of La Porte, Texas - Economic & Demographic Assessment I January 2()?9~_
What is La Porte's single greatest challenge? (sample answers)
"People not wanting progress"
"Lacking in beautification, no local retail"
"Blight"
"Attracting retail customers for La Porte's businesses"
"Old in appearance... and maybe in spirit?"
"Getting people here to appreciate the city"
"Remaining a good place to raise a family without succumbing to the industry and Port"
"Restoration and redevelopment of old downtown while mainti3ining the original look"
"Overcoming the current perception from people not living Qt~.l1tertaining here"
"Protecting citizen rights against industry"
"Bringing more tourist activity to La Porte"
"Fighting the 'industrial moniker'''
"Improving schools. Resisting continued industna'jrowth"
"Quality retail development"
"Flooding issues"
"Air quality caused by local industry"
"Keeping us safe from traffic problems and chemieatleaks"
"Doing something with Sylvan Beach"
"Patience. Real growth and qualit)toHffecomes from time, perseverance, and hard work"
"Getting more people to the city"
"The overwhelming presence of industry"
"Abilty to attract highel" end retail / dinirigcenters"
"Getting citizens to~ofbe afraid to sUPPOrf,chang~Ir!
"Few activities, nQo,~tdoor trails gespite the~av:'
"Limited shopping'"
"Age ofinfrastructurea~d lac~~rrec.r:eational activities that would draw nonresidents"
"ChemicarpJant,~a~d ther~~lttng poiJutioll"
"Keeping our small town feeling"
"Blighted neighborhoods"
"Downtown should bedevelopedwith tourism in mind"
"Horrible port traffic"
"Putting political agendas aside"
"Division"
"Industrial encroachment"
"The age of the citya,nd the fact that it is in need of a face lift"
"Resistance to growth and change"
"Truck traffic"
"Not very many programs offered for children"
"Number of dilapidated buildings, particularly in downtown"
"No tall palm trees or lush landscaping to welcome visitors and residents"
City of La Porte, Texas - Economic & Demographic Assessment I January ;ClClge
In an ideal world, what word or phrase will be used to describe La Porte 20 years from
now? (sample answers)
"Most beautiful port city in the world"
"Key in boosting commerce of the Houston region"
"A great place to live and play"
"An artistic community"
"Revived"
"Doorway to the world"
"Friendly, dynamic small city"
"Coastal community by the Bay to live, work, and play"
"Vibrant, renewed"
"Modern and viable"
"A historic city that has great memories"
"La Porte, Your port of all!"
"The most prosperous small town in the natiol]1'
"A destination"
"A jewel on Galveston Bay"
"La Porte, we are family"
"The new Kemah"
"An oasis from the rat race of life"
"La Porte: The Gulf Coast destination"
"Inviting and Industrious"
"A model port city"
"A walkable, mixedlJ,se community with multipl~incomesand housing types"
"Fun but cozy"
"The 'master' of bedroom communities"
"We finally have underWear for sale!"
"Family friendly and prospe,rous"
"Self sufficient" .
"City on the sunrise"
"Clean; green, and safe"
"A port~warehouse, and transportation center ~ not a hometown"
"Gateway t9Hpuston"
"Set your sails pnJa Porte"
"Playground"
"Contemporary suburban metropolis"
"Beacon of wonderment'"
"Forward thinking"
"China's warehouse"
"Seaside nostalgic"
"Coastal relaxation"
"City of Hope"
"Thriving"
City of La Porte, Texas - Economic & Demographic Assessment I January 2009 I)
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City of La Porte, Texas - Economic & Demographic Assessment I January 200ge
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